Lord of Skull Spiders MOD by TheOneVeyronian, on Flickr

Hi all!

I was kind of bored yesterday, so I decided to have a crack at improving the Lord of Skull Spiders in LDD, constructing the original set using just a parts list and whatever pictures I could find of the set on Eurobricks and BZPower (first time I've actually built a set this complex without instructions), before making a few modifications and improvements. The main modification here is to the legs - here I've added an extra ball joint to each leg for much improved poseability in the real model. The abdomen handle has been filled out a little whilst retaining the function squeeze handle, and exposed balljoints have been put to good use to fill out and shape the model a bit more. The model you see in the picture was rendered using LDD2POV-Ray. Post-processing through Photoshop was applied to add LOSS' face since the chestplate does not accept decoration.

For those of you interested in using this for the basis of your own modifications, I provide the LDD file here. A few things to note about the LXF file however: it's missing the rubber band which is vital for the leg function. Wherever I use a black 3M axle (2 instances), this actually is supposed to represent the new 2M axle piece with pin (picture of it here, the piece on the left) which appears in LOSS (but having built a replica of the mechanism myself, a 3M axle would also work in it's place). I'm aware the trans-orange colour is all wrong as trans-neon orange does not appear to be in LDD. And the pose achieved in the render probably isn't possible in real life as the mechanism is set at an almost closed position due to LDD limitations (I couldn't get the knob gears to mesh properly at any angle except right angles!).

The design is open to further modification (I intend to add a hook and string to the abdomen to let it hang once I get hold of the set itself), and while building this I realised you can just as easily build a trans-light blue (in place of the trans-neon orange) version so I might upload what that would look like to my Flickr a bit later.

Thanks for looking!

Interesting. I like the modifications you made to the body, but I'm not too sure about the legs. The technic beams are there for stability, and if you add an articulation, you make the beams useless, which means you could use pure CCBS-based legs instead of technic-based ones. Also,

[Aanchir]My main concern about this MOD is that you used the wrong shade of transparent orange. The LoSS set actually uses Tr. Fluor. Reddish Orange, while your MOD uses Tr. Bright Orange, which is incorrect, since these parts were never produced in Tr. Bright Orange (which only appeared once in a constraction set, Jaller Inika, in 2006, by the way).[/Aanchir]

how did you get that chest print in LDD???

how did you get that chest print in LDD???

Post-processing through Photoshop was applied to add LOSS' face since the chestplate does not accept decoration.

Now that's a Skull Spider Lord. I like what you did with the legs. It keeps the look of the set while giving it added pose-ability. Best of both worlds.

I really like what you've done with the legs and torso, looking pretty good! Only thing I don't like is that piece on top of the abdomen. I can't help but see one of those tail thingies they put on the back of fancy sports cars.

Thanks for the replies so far!

Interesting. I like the modifications you made to the body, but I'm not too sure about the legs. The technic beams are there for stability, and if you add an articulation, you make the beams useless, which means you could use pure CCBS-based legs instead of technic-based ones. Also,

[Aanchir]My main concern about this MOD is that you used the wrong shade of transparent orange. The LoSS set actually uses Tr. Fluor. Reddish Orange, while your MOD uses Tr. Bright Orange, which is incorrect, since these parts were never produced in Tr. Bright Orange (which only appeared once in a constraction set, Jaller Inika, in 2006, by the way).[/Aanchir]

I see what you're saying there, however the modification is designed around the set and tries to keep as much of it in tact, as it were. And I'll be honest - it's also a cost-saving measure for those who want to replicate the mod in real life (as I intend to do). 12 trans-neon orange 5M bones (the best CCBS limb replacements) amounts to at least half the price of the whole set, and even with my binge buying of the 2014 Chima Ultrabuilds I don't have that many

Oh, and as I point out on Flickr (and somehow forgot in my original post), I do use the wrong shade here, but that's because I can't find Tr. Fluor. Reddish Orange in LDD (is it really not there or am I completely missing it?) rather than me not knowing my colours

I really like what you've done with the legs and torso, looking pretty good! Only thing I don't like is that piece on top of the abdomen. I can't help but see one of those tail thingies they put on the back of fancy sports cars.

It's the Lord of Racing Car Spiders

In all seriousness, that was the part that actually gave me the most bother (aside lining up the mechanism perfectly in LDD to make it connect together). A torso shell made the abdomen too big (from the artwork I've seen on the box, LOSS isn't intended to have an abdomen like, for example, my BFTGM entry Spidrion). A regular shell wouldn't really fit without it making it look really odd. And the Savage Planet spikes would make working the function, erm, less pleasant. So the chestplate was kind of the best compromise until I see a part that fits it better.

By the way, a render of a trans-light blue version of LOSS, which is also possible to make with currently available parts, will be coming in the next couple of days so you can see what it would look like with a different set of colours.

Oh, and I should add that it was the first time I've ever manually Photoshopped a decal onto a render and it somehow turned out quite well. I normally let LDD2POV-Ray work it's magic in that department

Well its definitely an improvement

It's the Lord of Racing Car Spiders

I can just picture a Master sliding away from the LOSS... Followed by LOSS doing a road-runner esque cartoon-leg-wheel thing to catch up.

And I'll be honest - it's also a cost-saving measure for those who want to replicate the mod in real life (as I intend to do). 12 trans-neon orange 5M bones (the best CCBS limb replacements) amounts to at least half the price of the whole set, and even with my binge buying of the 2014 Chima Ultrabuilds I don't have that many

Oh, I see. Well, that's a good idea. Though, one could also use black bones and snap #3 tr.neon orange on them. But it would take more space.

Oh, and as I point out on Flickr (and somehow forgot in my original post), I do use the wrong shade here, but that's because I can't find Tr. Fluor. Reddish Orange in LDD (is it really not there or am I completely missing it?) rather than me not knowing my colours

Don't worry, it was just a joke. ;)

And there's Tr. Fluor. Reddish Orange in LDD. It's code is 47, and you can find it between 44 - Tr. Yellow and 49 - Tr. Fluore Green.

This render that I did for a bit of fun (please don't pretend you didn't see a fight scene between my BFTGM villain and LOSS coming! ) just so happens to show the rear of the LOSS modification. I admit the blue 3M pin is a bit unsightly but one can always use the new Technic spacer piece (which come in some of the Protectors) to hide it. The purpose of it for me is that it is where the string will be tied to when I go to add a hook and string (a la Shelob).

Battle for a Gold Mask - Spidrion vs LOSS by TheOneVeyronian, on Flickr

Don't worry, it was just a joke. ;)

And there's Tr. Fluor. Reddish Orange in LDD. It's code is 47, and you can find it between 44 - Tr. Yellow and 49 - Tr. Fluore Green.

I got that it was a joke when I saw the Aanchir code

But how on earth have I been missing it for the past year and a half? I can't open LDD right now to have a look because I have LDD2POV-Ray running again, but I might just take another look and adjust my file if need be.

But maybe I just prefer trans-orange to trans-neon orange?

Edited November 24, 201410 yr by TheOneVeyronian

I admit the blue 3M pin is a bit unsightly but one can always use the new Technic spacer piece (which come in some of the Protectors) to hide it. The purpose of it for me is that it is where the string will be tied to when I go to add a hook and string (a la Shelob).

You could use this part instead. You'd get rid of the blue, and you can use the hole to properly tie the string.

Very cool battle scene!

Interesting construction and design of Lord of skull spiders.

And scorpion too.

You could use this part instead. You'd get rid of the blue, and you can use the hole to properly tie the string.

I forgot that part existed Oh well, thanks for the tip!

I also thought my LOSS modification could do with a mate - so here's LOISS (Lord of Ice Skull Spiders). It's basically LOSS with trans-light blue rather than trans-neon orange, which as I've said before, is also possible to build using existing parts. Ignore the red axles, they were supposed to be black but I'm making these renders using a speed render trick and I was too lazy to re-render the all bevels part again just for a minor colour change (especially since Technic/Constraction models take ages to render all bevels on my ancient laptop), so they're red

Lord of Skull Spiders - Trans-Light Blue Edition! by TheOneVeyronian, on Flickr

Not bad. Not bad at all. I think of LoSS as male, so I see this as a kind of queen to go with him. Nice.

The Trans-Light Blue Lord Of Skull Spiders looks better honestly, adds a creepy menacing vibe to the set.

Thanks for all the positive comments!

Unfortunately, making the trans-light blue version of LOSS has now meant I have committed to buying two LOSS sets because I like the trans-light blue edition so much, and trans-light blue Technic beams are actually relatively inexpensive. I better start Bricklinking the extra parts then!

Do you know how many extra parts are needed for this mod? The legs and the gearbox look to remain fairly intact from the original as well as some other areas.

Also, love the light blue edition. Too bad those technic beams don't come in trans lime. A green Skull Spider would look sweet.

I've had some time recently to try constructing the trans-light blue edition of LOSS, and thought I'd take a quick photo of it. It's still WIP: it still needs some black 4M shells (I need to buy some more!) and the chestplate with the LOSS face print, but it is otherwise done. The only changes here compared to the LD file and renders are that I implemented Leewan's suggestion to attach the string, and changed the chestplate abdomen for a Chima fur abdomen.

Lord of Skull Spiders TLB edition WIP by TheOneVeyronian, on Flickr

The grabbing function still works as normal (though I admit it's a pig to use it as the joints make the legs longer) and keeps faithful to LOSS' original design.

Sorry about the photo, it's dark and miserable and really hard to take any decent photos here

That looks fantastic. Though I'm still not sure how I feel about how the legs attach to the body. The Glatorian necks just make it seem really thin.

If there was a way to get added poseability, keep the function, and have the legs closer to the body...

I could always try and see how Hordika necks would look instead of the Glatorian necks. I think the only reason that I used Glatorian necks is that they're more readily available in black (DBG I feel clashes with the colour scheme too much). Hordika necks in black actually do exist (I have one in hand actually!), but they're expensive (about 1 euro EACH) since they're non-production, so Glatorian necks was the way to go.

Well, I could also try more Technic ball joints with through axle hole instead of the Glatorian necks, but then that would just put me back to roughly where I started...

Could be an official set from the look of it.

Lord of Skull Spiders MOD by TheOneVeyronian, on Flickr

Finally, here's the actual Lord of Skull Spiders set with modifications. The only thing that's really changed since the trans-light blue edition is the use of Hordika necks instead of Glatorian necks, which I think is actually an improvement as it means the legs are not so far out of the body and result in a much better grabbing action. I've also used a couple of the new Technic spacers in various parts of the build to keep things in place.

That mod is fantastic, I'm definitely gonna use when I'll get the set.

Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking with the Hordika necks!

I'll have to see if I have enough of those so I can do this. It looks great.